Dark Knights: Ascension
by Krac
Summary: Sometimes it doesn't pay to help someone on the side of the road...


From: Krac  
  
Title: Dark Knights: Ascension  
  
Series/Sequel: Third in the Dark Knights world. Follows 'Descent'.  
  
Author: Krac  
  
E-mail: krac_babee@lycos.com  
  
Rating: R  
  
Summary: Buffy baiting…Angel bashing…Spike beating…these are a few of my favorite things…  
  
Disclaimer: I don't own any of the BTVS Characters, Joss Whedon, The  
  
WB and Mutant Enemy own them, etc, etc. I only own the story and any  
  
original characters I create along the way.  
  
Distribution: Ask me first.  
  
Feedback: Does Riley lurve cows? Hell yes!  
  
Spoilers: None I've ignored this season, Buffy gives me the heebie  
  
jeebies. I'd go so far to say I despise her so when she appears it  
  
won't be pretty.  
  
Author's Note: Yep, it's offical I am a twisted Mofo. This seems to be the only work I can pound out on a regular basis with a minimum of discomfort or effort. There will be more as I exercise my demons.  
  
1  
  
2 Dark Knights: Ascension  
  
Wind whipping through his carefully gelled hair Angel drove down the highway at speeds that would blanch a mortal being. His thoughts however strayed far from the road ahead and into the distance towards Sunnydale and the frantic phone call he had received earlier that day. It had been some time since he had spoken to Buffy, but instead of catching up on old times she had immediately launched into the latest horror to erupt on the Hellmouth.  
  
Xander Harris was a vampire. One who had apparently turned Buffy's sister Dawn-a sister Angel couldn't remember Buffy having for that matter. The souled vampire couldn't help his smile at the thought of Xander as a vampire, ooh that's scary like a bunny with fangs. He smirked secure in the knowledge that he had been the big bad during his souless period on the Hellmouth. Shaking his head Angel marveled that he didn't feel any of his normal shame at the painful memory.  
  
With a cringe he recalled his trip to Hell itself and wondered once more why he was running back to Buffy when he had resolved to stay away for everyone's sake. Things were good for him in LA, he had a purpose there; but here he was running to Buffy the minute she crooked her finger his way. Everything he knew told him to refuse her and stay in LA, but Angel had never been known for his rationality where Buffy was concerned. I'm just as obsessed with her as Angel as Angelus is. He shivered and felt the demon within him laugh for a strange reason.  
  
Ahead on the road his headlights glinted off of a car pulled onto the shoulder. Slowing and glad for the distraction from his thoughts Angel appraised the situation. A young woman stood shading her eyes from the glare of the lights with one hand and held a tire iron in the other. She was tall, lithe and had blonde hair curling around her shoulders-something in the way she stood reminded him of the slayer. "Need some help?" He called to her happy he had left the top down.  
  
"Gee," the girl sighed, "You think you could? I've been trying to get this for ages. No one else was in a hurry to stop. I don't know why?"  
  
Sliding out of his car Angel smiled turning on what little charm he posessed; "Well I have a weakness for damsels in distress." He took the tire iron from her hand and smiling, "I'm Angel."  
  
"Wow that's a different name," she gushed vapidly reminding him even more of a certain vampire slayer, "Were your parents like hippies or something?"  
  
"Or something," Angel gritted his teeth and tried to act like it was hard to move the bolts holding the tire on.  
  
"My parents weren't very interesting," she prattled, "I'm Jane by the way. Jane Judith Justine Jones."  
  
Grimacing at her effervescence Angel sighed, "That's a mouthful."  
  
"You have no idea," Jane rolled her eyes, "I remember when I was seven, Amanda Clarke messed it all up on account of her lisp. Oh my God, it was so funny like 'Jane Udith Ustine Ones'…"  
  
"Oh yeah, really funny." Angel tuned out the incessant noise and forgot about hiding his strength in an effort to get away from Jane Judith Justine Jones before he snapped her neck.  
  
A puzzled look stole over her pretty but vancant features as she noticed he had already removed the tire. "You must be really strong…I love strong men…they're so strong."  
  
"Thanks," Angel repiled taciturnly wishing he could stake himself just to be away from her, "Guess I get all my vitamins."  
  
A bright smile spread across her face, "You could sure say that. From now on you are so my hero…when anyone asks me who I admire I'll have to tell them it's you."  
  
"That's okay," Angel rolled the spare into place and began fastening the bolts once more as quickly as he could, "You don't have to do that."  
  
Her lower lip jutted outwards in a pout, "But how else can I thank you then?"  
  
"Well heroes don't need any thanks." He straightened and dusted his hands off on his thighs, "It's enough to have done the good deed."  
  
Jane appeared to mull that over; to Angel's eyes she appeared mildly constipated. "I never thought of it like that. Oh thank you My Guardian Angel!"  
  
Before he could usher her away the girl wrapped her arms around him. As her face moved closer to his Angel felt paralyzed, her eyes flashed with an unearthly green glow. Her lips pressed against his in a parody of a gentle lover's kiss. Angel felt like he was being ripped in two, screaming he fell to the ground at her feet.  
  
Jane Judith Justine Jones shook her head and slowly her form dissolved into Des' small frame. The demon shivered, "I feel so dirty."  
  
A voice laughed from the bushes, "But you make such a wonderful valley girl, Des and your Buffy impression was dead on."  
  
Des shook her head in disgust, "But I had to be nice to Angel, I had to kiss him. I have Buffy germs now…I don't care how long it's been those things do not wash out!"  
  
Stepping into view Alex ignored her glare while dragging Dawn along with him, "I told you Angel wouldn't be a problem, Kiddo."  
  
Dawn moved to the unconcious vampire and kicked him in the stomach to her sire's obvious amusment. Frowning she glowered, "But what about when he wakes up? This will just piss him off enough to hunt us."  
  
"Silly girl," Des shook her head affectionately and wound her arms around the girl protectively while sharing an unfathomable smile with Alex, "He won't be hunting us at all."  
  
The pile at the demon's feet stirred and Dawn watched in facination as Angelus rose like a pheonix from the ashes.  
  
***************************************************************************  
  
Pacing the room, Buffy stared at the clock one more time. As if the sheer force of her will could make the hands move. Angel still hadn't arrived, her gut roiled as she ran through the speech she had prepared for her former lover. He had missed out on so much, her mother's death, Giles' departure, Dawn's appearance, her own death and resurection and mostly her 'relationship' with Spike.  
  
For his part Spike had agreed to hang out at the old mansion to allow the old flames their chance to catch up, even if he had grumbled about it. Again her eyes strayed to the uncooperative timepiece but only seconds had passed. Wringing her hands the slayer continued wearing a hole in the carpet.  
  
**************************************************************************** *  
  
Tapping his fingers on the table impatiently Spike frowned. He was not a happy vampire. Why should he be, Buffy was spending time with Angel. The great love of her life. Not for the first time he wondered just how he measured up in the other vampire's shadow. Spike had already lost one woman to him-all be damned if he was going to lose another.  
  
A knock on the door drew Spike away from his homicidal thoughts. Throwing it wide he puzzled, "Angel? What are you doing here, Pouf?"  
  
A queer look passed over Angel's face and his nostrils flared as he sniffed at Spike distainfully, "You're fucking the slayer."  
  
"Bloody hell, mate!" Spike stepped back curious at Angel's behaviour.  
  
"I'd know that whore's scent anywhere," souless eyes glared at Spike burning with the intensity of their hatred.  
  
Without warning Angelus' foot snapped out and connected with Spike's already tender crotch. As he doubled over a fist pounded into his cheek. The last thing Spike heard before he collasped to the ground was the cold laughter of the being that had taught him everything he knew about death, "You're a disgrace to your blood Spike." Then the real pain began. 


End file.
